All of the things I love here on the ground and up in into outer space.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Last Time Ever - Shuttle Edition

Last night was a big night for shuttle "lasts" - Atlantis rolled out of the VAB for the last time to head to the launch pad. Not only was this Atlantis's last roll out, this was the last time ever that a shuttle will roll out of the VAB for flight...

There were more people gathered at the center to watch this roll out than I've ever seen. It was almost a carnival atmosphere until people started talking about why there were so many people and we remembered that none of us would ever have the opportunity to see it again.

The second "last" was the safe landing of Endeavour, finishing the STS-134 mission. Endeavour landed around 2:30 a.m. and though I had every intention of waking up to hear the sonic booms, my body was having none of that. This was Endeavour's final mission and the vehicle is already back in the processing bay undergoing preparations for "retirement".

Finally, another video has been making the rounds here documenting the STS-134 launch. There's some pretty incredible imagery and I suggest you check it out!